Kilkenny Cats clear favourites to reclaim Leinster crown

Brian Cody’s Cats have been installed as favourites to be crowned Leinster champions after putting Davy Fitzgerald’s Wexford to the sword in an eipc 2-37 to 2-29 extra time victory.

But bookies still put Kilkenny behind Munster rivals Limerick and Tipperary in the bid for All-Ireland glory.

A late flurry of scores from Kilkenny finally crushed Wexford’s challenge. And the Cats will start the decider as hot 1/3 favourites to win their second successive provincial title and 6/1 from 10/1 to go all the way.

But punters in the capital are backing Dublin’s Hurlers to be crowned Leinster champions after they booked a date in their first provincial final in seven years with a shock win over Galway.

Mattie Kenny’s side raced into a 0-06 to 0-01 lead in the opening 20 minutes at Croke Park on Saturday and were never caught as they registered a four-point victory to tee up an appearance in the Leinster decider.

A first provincial championship for the Boys in Blue since 2013 is now a 9/4 shot from 10/1 with BoyleSports, while an All-Ireland victory has been clipped into 20/1 having been an unlikely 50/1 shot before throw-in.

Galway, meanwhile, have been eased out to 13/2 from 3/1 to get their hands on the Liam MacCarthy Cup with a route through the qualifiers now required for the Tribesmen.

BoyleSports spokesperson Lawrence Lyons said: “We certainly weren’t anticipating a Dublin win over Galway and a few were happy to lump on their All-Ireland chances at 50/1 forcing us down to 20/1 within minutes of the final whistle. They will start the Leinster final against Kilkenny as underdogs, but at 9/4 from 10/1 before throw-in there is a growing number hoping for another upset.”

Leinster SHC

1/3         Kilkenny

9/4         Dublin

All-Ireland SHC

EVS        Limerick

5/1         Tipperary

6/1         Kilkenny

13/2       Galway

7/1         Cork

20/1       Dublin

20/1       Clare

28/1       Waterford

33/1       Wexford

500/1     Antrim

1000/1  Laois